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How combining user testing with AI can expand your insights

Sep 12th, 2017

Remote user testing studies can give you an unparalleled look into the thought processes,
behaviors and reactions of real users.
Remote user tests can be created quickly,
and help teams work through roadblocks and uncover hidden problems early in the development process.

And when used in conjunction with other forms of user research, such as Eye Tracking and
predictive analysis, you have powerful tools to make informed, user-centric choices that
will greatly benefit your product.

To show the power of these two methods combined, we partnered with
EyeQuant to study a
popular ecommerce destination, bhphotovideo.com, the website of
New York City-based B&H Photo.

We began by seeing how users interacted with a product page for an Acer laptop.
At the same time, EyeQuant used its AI, a predictive analysis engine that
tells us what would draw a user’s eye.

Users were asked to give their impressions of the page, and tell us what they noticed first.
Most said they initially saw the product’s name or picture. But EyeQuant’s analysis tells
a slightly different story. It showed the large banner at the top for the 2017 Solar Eclipse
was the most likely to draw attention.

Above, Userlytics user testing showed users noticed the laptop’s image and
product name first. But EyeQuant’s analysis showed many users’ eyes would be drawn
to the banner ad at top.

During our testing, when asked about the eclipse banner, most users said they didn’t
notice it right away. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that their eyes weren’t drawn
to the banner at all. Rather, they might’ve just skipped it because it wasn’t interesting
to them in any way. One participant even said it confused her. The participants weren’t
lying about what they saw, but they were being very honest about what they perceived.

The results show, designing an effective banner ad involves more than just getting users
to notice it. They have to understand the message the banner is trying to convey.
It needs to be relevant, easy to understand and provide a compelling reason to click.
B&H’s eclipse banner seems to have been eye-catching, but not particularly effective.

Getting The Whole Picture

During the user testing study, users were also asked what they liked and disliked about
the page. One particular standout was the page’s button navigation. Each link takes the
user to a specific section of the page: reviews, questions, available accessories.

It’s a feature that EyeQuant’s analysis predicted would get a user’s attention, and our
studies showed it was particularly attractive. Most participants said they really
appreciated how easy it made navigating the product page, and they liked how quickly they
could find the product’s reviews.

Cutting Through The Clutter

The EyeQuant analysis uncovered another issue we find common on e-commerce sites:
cluttered, overly-busy pages that distract users. The above image shows just how much
visual noise a user is sifting through during the checkout process.

In Userlytics’ user testing of the same page, it was clear users found the top section
distracting. Often without realizing it, they immediately scrolled down to hide the banner
and navigation above. The area on the right also proved difficult to understand, causing
one participant to re-read the same section several times.

Sites with higher clarity scores - and ones that show consistently better results in our
own testing - are visually much cleaner. They do away with the clutter and show only
what’s needed: simple navigation, clear transaction information and a prominent call to action.

Companies like Amazon, Etsy and Walmart have worked hard to drastically simplify their
checkout flows, to give their customers the easiest possible checkout experience.
Through user testing and feedback, those companies are able to make small design and
UI changes that have a big impact on their bottom lines.

Key Takeaways

Remote user testing and eye tracking analysis are complementary tools that can give
stakeholders a clearer picture of how their sites are performing.

More than one type of user research can help provide a more complete picture of a user’s
site experience

Both Userlytics and EyeQuant can provide lightning fast, actionable user research
results that can be integrated immediately into any design or development process,
saving companies costly mistakes that can be easily avoided.